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How to work Microsoft Excel spreadsheets to create any document? Step by step guide

Anytime create any document in a spreadsheet of Microsoft Excel You will need to know how to work on them to save time and do your homework without mistakes.

Because of this, you will have to know the step by step you must do to insert data, delete or add rows or columns and apply the functions that this calculation template program has.

If you want to know how it is done, you will have to continue reading because we will explain each of the tasks in detail what you should do and how you will use the syntax to insert shapes and create graphics, among other things.

Learn step by step how to work in Excel spreadsheets

Next, we will show you the step by step so you can work on Microsoft Excel spreadsheets:

Insert data

This function is useful when you want to add a new element to a data table. For this you will have to do right click in the place where you want to incorporate it and then select the option Insert. A menu will be displayed in which you will have to choose if you want move the cells to the right or down, or if you want to enter an entire row or an entire column.

You can also do this work using the keyboard. To do this, you will have to make a key combination by pressing Ctrl and space bar or Shift and space bar. This will select an entire column and the entire row. Then you will have to press Ctrl Next to the key + to incorporate a column or a row. In case you decide to press directly Ctrl with the + key the menu will appear to move the data to a new cell.

Delete or add rows or columns

As with the action of incorporate rows or columns, you are going to need to right click to delete cells or move them up, but in this case you must choose the option Remove. You will also be able to use the keyboard shortcut, for this you will use the combination with Ctrl + key –.

Apply functions

Apply functions

Microsoft Excel It is characterized by having a large number of functions that you can use to reduce your work and obtain results from different areas. In this way you will have the possibility to use financial, logical, text, date and time, math and trigonometric, statistical, engineering, cube, and even web service functions.

To work with a function you will have to position yourself in a cell in which you want Excel throw the result and then go to the tab Formulas. You will be able to find on the ribbon in the group Function library all the formulas that we mentioned before.

You will have to choose the one you need and complete syntax according to the requirements of the program. When you finish you will have to press the Enter key. If you remember the name of the function you will have another way to insert it. For this you have to activate the cell by entering the sign =, then write the formula name, open parenthesis, enter the syntax separated by ; and later close the parentheses.

Open and edit templates

Open and edit templates

For open a template first you will have to open Microsoft Excel, then you will have to click on the tab Archive and select the option New. A list with the most used or recommended templates will appear, you can choose them according to your needs. Once you choose the one that suits you best, a new sheet will open in the file and you can edit it by entering all the data you want. When you finish you will have to click on save.

Insert shapes

Shapes are images that represent lines or geometric figures and will help you improve the presentation of a calculation template. To add a shape, you will have to go to the tab Insert, then click on Illustrations and choose Shapes.

A menu will be displayed in which you will see the different drawings you have available grouped by categories. Choose the one that suits you best and then create its size with the mouse. You can modify it if you select the Illustration and right-click so you can choose the option Shape format. In this way you will have access to the configuration of the fill and the lines.

Settings and text format

To make adjustments and format the words that you include in a spreadsheet you will have to select the cells in which the text is located and then go to the tool Start, search in function group Source and select the font, size, color and underline. Another way you have is to do right click, after having selected the cells, and look for the option Cell format.

Create Graphics

Excel allows you create graphics in a very simple way and in a few steps, for that you will have to select the data created in a table. Next, you should go to the tab Insert and look in the group Graphics the alternative that suits you best.

You will have to choose between graphics dynamic, scatter, histograms, or circular. Automatically, the program will show you, next to the table, how your drawing would look. You can edit the graph title and configure if you want the values ​​to appear in the axes and in each column. You will also be able to choose the color and type of background. For this last configuration you will have to right click in the graph and select the different options that they offer you Microsoft Excel.

Hide and show columns or rows

Hide and show columns or rows

In a Excel template you will be able to hide one or more columns, as well as cells, if you select them by dragging the mouse on their heading and then clicking right click. This will bring up a menu in which you must choose the option Hide. The same procedure you will have to do when you want to reset the items you have hidden. Keep in mind that you will see a jump in the headings of the letters or numbers of the Columns and rows because they are hidden.

For this reason, you will have to select the contiguous ones and then choose the option, when you right click, To show. These tools will help you improve the exposure of your template frames. This is because you can incorporate auxiliary calculations in columns that will help you know why you arrive at a certain resultbut in the general report such backup operations are not necessary.

Autofill cells

Autofill cells

When you want to complete the cells according to a predetermined function, you can use the autocomplete tool that offers you Excel. This means that if you enter the sign = in a cell and you start to write the name of the formula, the program will show you in a popup all options that you have available.

To choose any of them you can do it with the mouse or directly using the directional arrows on the keyboard. This function will save you a lot of time and will considerably reduce the errors you may have in the formula syntax.

Page setup

Setting up a page will help you share the spreadsheet with other users so they can print them or you can do it yourself. In this way you will be able to modify the margins, the orientation and add background images.

This tool is also useful for you to configure the printing of the titles on each of the sheets that you print. To perform this task you will have to go to the tab Page layout, search function group Page setup and choose the tool you need.

You will be able to select the following:

  • Margins upper, lower and lateral. You will also have the option to configure the area of ​​the header and footer.
  • Orientation horizontal and vertical.
  • Size of the sheet. This tool is useful when you want to assign a size A4, letter or office, among other options to your work.
  • Printing area. When you have a form in which you want to print only a part of it, you will be able to select this tool to determine the area you want to print. You can also erase it through this function.
  • Page breaks.
  • Insert images as background.
  • Print of titles.

Empty data

Empty data

You will be able to empty the data of Excel if you select them and press the key Delete. On the other hand, if you want to delete the format, you can do it by choosing the cells you need and then going to the tab Start. Next, you will have to select in the group Edition the function Delete. When you click on it, a menu will be displayed that allows you to delete all or only the format, content, comments or hyperlinks.